Background Information

Background

The Lawrence community was recently awarded a grant through the U.S. Department of Education to expand preschool across the city. The Lawrence Early Achievement Partnership (LEAP) has been created to add 130 preschool seats for eligible children. This is a partnership between the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Head Start (GLCAC-HS), The Community Group (TCG), and Lawrence Public Schools (LPS).

Eligible students may be placed at GLCAC or TCG. The school year will begin on August 28, 2017 and run for a full year, through August 2018. The preschool day will be a minimum of 8 hours per day. The program will use the Massachusetts preschool curriculum framework and will prepare students to be successful in kindergarten. Students who are not able to enroll in a LEAP site may be eligible for a Lawrence Public Schools preschool.

Eligibility

Proof of the following must be met to be eligible for LEAP:

Students must be 4 years old at the time of enrollment—this means they must have been born between September 1, 2013 and August 31, 2014.

Students must not have previously attended a preschool program (this does not include all early childhood care—please complete the application if you are unsure and someone will be in contact with you)

Students must live in the City of Lawrence at the time of enrollment

Students must live in a household below the income eligibility number to the right

False reporting could result in loss of access to LEAP as well as legal action by the Department of Early Education and Care.

Income Eligibility (2016)

Persons in family / household

Household Income

1

$24,120

2

$32,480

3

$40,840

4

$49,800

5

$57,560

6

$65,920

7

$74,280

8

$82,640

*We will use a separate form to verify Income

Selection Criteria

We are currently accepting waitlist information for the 2017-18 school year

Applicants who meet eligibility requirements will be selected for enrollment on a first come, first served basis. If accepted, placement may be determined by geographic location. Every attempt will be made to place students who are not able to enroll in a LEAP site into an alternate pre-k program offered by LPS, GLCAC-HS, or TCG.